508 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1884. 



stance and exo in the second. Thus, we might have esotrichlor exo- 

 dichlor-ethylbeuzene, a name self-explanatory. 



Prof. H. Kolbe subsequently attacked these proposed innovations in 

 a severe and sarcastic manner. {Berichte d. ehem. Ges., xvii, 960.) 



Production of Hydroxylaminefrom Nitric Acid, by Edward Divers. — In 

 investigating the reducing action of various metals upon nitric acid the 

 author finds that the action of tiu, ziuc, cadmium, magnesium, and 

 aluminium gives rise to the production of hydroxylamine, especially in 

 the presence of hydrochloric or sulphuric acids. The function of the 

 second acid is to decompose the nitrate as fast as it is produced, and so 

 (1) to hold the hydroxylamine in a more stable state, (2) to preserve 

 it from the destructive action of nitrous acid by preventing the forma- 

 tion of this acid from the reaction of the metal on the nitrate, and (3) 

 to determine the reduction of the nitric acid to hydroxylamine by sup- 

 plying the hydrogen for reproducing it. Tbe author divides metals 

 into two classes, according to their action on nitric acid. In the first 

 class are silver, copper, mercury, and bismuth ; these metals form 

 nitrite, nitrate, and water, and exert no further action, producing neither 

 ammonia nor hydroxylamine. They decompose the nitric acid into 

 hydroxyl and nitroxyl, combining with these radicals to form hydrate 

 and nitrite, which by secondary reactions become water, nitrous acid, 

 and metal nitrate. They therefore separate nitrogen from oxygen 

 (hydroxyl) in decomposing nitric acid, and not hydrogen from oxygen. 



Iq the second class are tin, zinc, cadmium, magnesium, aluminium, 

 lead, iron, and the alkali metals; these form ammonia and generally 

 hydroxylamine, but do not produce nitrous acid or nitrite with free 

 nitric acid. On the other hand, they readily form nitrite by acting on 

 their own nitrate. Two actions are noted: First, upon seven molecules 

 of acid separating as hydroxylamine, the hydrogen of six of them form- 

 ing nitrate and leaving the seventh converted to water and the said 

 hydroxylamine; Second, they combine with hydroxylamine to form me- 

 tal-ammonium hydrate, which decoin[)Oses with water into metal-hydrate 

 and ammonia. The author considers that nitrites have a constitution 

 indicated by the name "nitrouates," the metal being directly united to 

 their nitrogen. The radical is the same as that existing in nitrates — 

 NO2 — these being its metal-oxyl compounds. {Am. J. Sci., cxxvii, 

 234, abstract from Journ. Chem. Soc, xliii, 443.) 



Action of Nitrous Anhydride on Glycerine, b^' Orme Masson. — At the 

 ordinary temperature glycerine absorbs nitrous anhydride rapidly, loses 

 its viscidity, and turns yellow ; the temperature soon rises and nitric 

 oxide is evolved, with decomposition of the product. If, however, the 

 glycerine is well cooled and the nitrous anhydride is dried over calcium 

 chloride, the decomposition is arrested. As the gas is absorbed, the 



